Winter Heating Assistance (Pension Age) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025: Policy Note

Eligibility Rules

Eligibility for PAWHP continues to be linked to the individual’s age and their circumstances during the qualifying week. A person will be eligible if, during the qualifying week (the third full week in September), they are of state pension age.

Following the UK Government’s discontinuation of Tax Credits, the removal of references in relation to tax credits from the principal Regulations has already been done separately by the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 which came into force on 23 June 2025. These amendment regulations therefore do not remove reference to Tax Credits.

These amendment regulations will exclude entitlement for those who are in receipt of relevant benefits throughout the qualifying week, who have been in a care home or independent hospital throughout the qualifying week and for the 12 weeks immediately preceding the qualifying week. This is because these individuals are likely to receive public funding for their care and accommodation costs including heating through funding from the local authority.